Survey method

ABSTRACT

Provided is a generation and implementation system for the survey program, in which multi-faceted questions are easily generated as a survey program and distributed to portable terminals, a survey can be performed in a non-communicating state, and survey results of the survey program can be amassed at a management server without fail. A question preparation server receives an input of a question, configures an answer format for the question, generates a survey program configured to send the answers to a management server when a predetermined number of answers are inputted, and distributes the survey program to a portable terminal of a surveyor. At the time of survey, the question is displayed on the display unit of the portable terminal, an answer to the question is received via an input of the portable terminal and stored in a memory unit of the portable terminal, and a group of questions stored in the memory of unit is sent to the management server via a communication unit of the portable terminal. The management server has received the answer date analyzes the answer data, performs statistic processing, and generates visible survey report information.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a survey program for use on a portable terminal in exit polling and the like, and a method of generation the same.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Up to now, the general survey method performed on the street, for example a exit poll, a traffic volume survey and the like, was that a surveyor carried survey forms and a portable counter, filled in a survey form for each surveyed person, and added up numerical values of the counter.

[0005] Then, the survey information collected as above was amassed at the survey center via a facsimile and a telephone, and inputted by an operator at the survey center with a keyboard or other such input device into a computer for the totaling. After the statistical processing, the finding of the survey was reported to the news media or a client who had requested the survey.

[0006] However, the above-mentioned survey collection method seems to be premodern, and it is quite obvious that the collection and the analyzing of the survey information at the survey center are extremely inefficient. Therefore, it has been desired to develop a technique that enable to input a information electronically at the point of survey on the street, collect and analyze the survey information automatically.

[0007] Considering these points, the Applicant has proposed, in Japanese Patent Application 2001-29670, a technique that possible to detect how many times each key is pushed in real time on the server side, and perform a statistical processing immediately, using a portable telephone that enable to connect a network which connects a server.

[0008] After the implementation of this technique at the actual election and the like, the applicants realized that it is necessary to improve this prior invention further.

[0009] Namely, since above the prior invention needs to connect the portable telephone and the server constantly, the information collecting sometimes disrupted due to communication disturbances in areas of poor electric wave condition like a inside of the building.

[0010] Further, although the above prior invention was effective in a traffic volume survey and the like which a numerical value merely increase incrementally (+1), it was not suit for a questionnaire survey which ask the age, gender, address and the like of the surveyed person. Thus there was a desire to develop a survey system that is capable of coping with various surveys flexibly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0011] The present invention has been considered to solve the above-mentioned problems. Therefore an object thereof is to realize a generation of survey program and an implement system that is capable to generate various question items easily as a survey program, distribute to portable terminals, perform the survey under a non-communicating state, and collect the survey results from the survey program at the management server without fail.

[0012] The present invention has employed the following measures for solving the above-mentioned object. That is, the survey method is to distribute the survey program generated at the question preparation server to a portable terminal and a management server collects survey results of the survey program executed on the portable terminal.

[0013] Further, the above question preparation server receives an input of a question, sets an answer format for the question, and generates a survey configured to send the group of answer to a management server when a predetermined number of answers are inputted.

[0014] This survey program is distributed to a portable terminal that surveyor carries. Then the portable terminal that has received the survey program displays the questions on a display unit of the portable terminal based on the survey program, receive the answer to the question via an input unit of portable terminal, stores the answer in a memory unit of the portable terminal, and sends the group of answer stored in the memory unit to the management server via a communication unit of the portable terminal.

[0015] Furthermore, the management server that has received the group of answer analyzes it, performs the statistical processing, and generates visible survey report information.

[0016] As described above, the survey program is loaded on the portable terminal, the survey results (answer) stored in the storage device of the portable terminal, and the survey results (answer) are sent to the management server as need. Therefore, even in a place where communication condition is poor, it is possible to carry out the survey as long as the survey program stored in the portable terminal can run. Furthermore, since the survey program can be easily generated at the question preparation server, it is possible to prepare the flexible question based on the survey purpose. In particular, the general-purpose survey programs that require a large capacity cannot be use for each survey in case the memory capacity of the memory unit is limited as a portable terminal. Therefore, if the server can be used to generate a minimum necessary question setting individually suit for the survey purpose, it can be expected to process the survey program efficiently and reduce of the communication time to distribute the survey program, using small memory resources on the portable terminal.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] In the accompanying drawings:

[0018]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a network configuration according to the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing a processing sequence, from question preparation to results processing, according to the present invention;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a question preparation procedure according to an embodiment;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a downloading procedure for a question program, according to the embodiment;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing a survey procedure according to the embodiment;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing a procedure of sending survey results to a management server, according to the embodiment;

[0024]FIG. 7 is a diagram of a format for question data, according to the embodiment; and

[0025]FIG. 8 is a diagram of a format for answer data, according to the embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERED EMNODIMENTS

[0026] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention is described, referring to the drawings.

[0027]FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a network configuration of the present embodiment.

[0028] As shown in FIG. 1, with a network NW at the center, the invention of the present embodiment is composed of a management server MSV, a portable terminal MP connected via base station BS, and a user terminal UT.

[0029] Note that, the management server MSV is described as also performing a function as a question preparation server. However, the management server MSV for collecting and statistically processing the survey information, and the question preparation server may be separate.

[0030] In addition, the user terminal UT connected to the network NW is used for performing inputs at the time of preparing questions, however the user terminal UT is not necessarily indispensable, and it is also possible to use an input device KBD of the management server MSV to input the questions.

[0031] The management server MSV is managed by central processing unit CPU having a main memory NM, and this central processing unit CPU is connected to a hard disk device HD, the input device KBD, display device CRT, printing device PRT, and the like via bus BUS. Further, it is connected to the network via a communication interface IF that is connected to the BUS.

[0032] An operation system OS, a server application program SVAPR, and an application program APR are installed into the hard disk device HD. These programs are read out and execute as necessary by the central processing unit CPU via the bus BUS and the main memory MM. A question generation program described with FIG. 2 is also registered as one application program APR.

[0033] In addition to the above programs, a database DB region is constructed in the hard disk device HD. The database DB functions as an area for storing inputted question data and responses to the questions. These databases are described with FIG. 3 and FIG. 6.

[0034] Next, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are used to explain the generation method for the purvey program of the management server MSV. (Nest is the explanation of the generation method for the survey program of the management server MSV, using FIG. 2 and FIG. 3.) First, the central processing unit CPU reads the question operation program out from the hard disk device HD, and executes/processes it (step 201). Specifically, using a HTML (Hyper Text Mark-up Language) as a file format, the question operation program generates display data 31 to receive questions inputted from the user terminal UT or the input device KBD. As shown as FIG. 3, the display date 31 is a display of questions regarding “gender”, “favorite color” and the like, urging inputs in response thereto. That is, the questions inputted via above HTML file display and the answer formats in response thereto are registered in the database DB as JAVA applet programs capable of individual execution (step 202). FIG. 7 illustrates one example to question date include in the above question program.

[0035] When the question program is stored in the database, a communication instruction module not shown in the diagram is added thereto. The communications instruction module has a function of giving command to send the answer date inputted by the execution of the question program on the portable terminal to the management server MSV. That is, the question program is configured to display questions on the portable terminal individually as JAVA applet program, urge to input of answers to the questions, execute the communication with the management server in case the answer inputs are accumulated, and perform the process for sending the answers to the management server MSV. For example, the question program can be realizes as the application called i-Apply for the i-Mode terminal by NTT Docomo, Inc.

[0036] Next, description will be made of a sequence of processing (step 203) formed in a case where the surveyor carries the portable terminal and performs the survey.

[0037] (Next is the explanation of the sequence of the process (step 203) in case the surveyor performs a survey, carrying the portable terminal.)

[0038] The surveyor designates an address (i.e., URL: Uniform Resource Locator) of the question program (i.e., the JAVA applet program) in the database DB from the portable terminal that the surveyor carrying, and accesses the management server MSV via the base station BS and the network NW.

[0039] Next, the question program (i.e., the JAVA applet program) of the management server MSV is downloaded to a non-volatile memory 41 of the portable terminal MP.

[0040] Then, when the surveyor start the survey, the surveyor push a button 51 on the portable terminal MP to read out and execute the question program stored in the non-volatile memory 41. After that, questions are displayed in sequence on the display device 52 of the portable terminal MP as shown at symbols 52 a, 52 b and 52 c in FIG. 5. The surveyor hands over the portable terminal to a respondent (a surveyed subject), the respondent operates the push button 51 to input one's responses while looking at the above display.

[0041] The inputted answers are stored as answer data in the non-volatile memory 41 of the portable terminal MP. As described above, it is not necessary to maintain the communication state to load the program, the question program can be executed inside a building or underground where the communication condition is poor.

[0042] Nest, FIG. 6 is used to describe a procedure (results storage phase shown in FIG. 2: step 204) for sending the accumulated answer data to the management server MSV.

[0043] (Nest is the explanation of the procedure to send the accumulated answer date to the management server MSV (results storage phase shown in FIG. 2: step 204), using FIG. 6)

[0044] The question program monitors the non-volatile memory 41 and loads a communications module (not shown in the diagram) in case that it detects the answer date accumulated in the non-volatile memory 41 reaches a predetermined amount. The communications modules access the management server MSV, and when communication is established with the management server MSV, the answer date stored in non-volatile memory 41 is sent to the management server MSV in sequence.

[0045] The frequency of the loading of the communications module is depends on the capacity of the non-volatile memory 41 inside the above portable terminal MP. Namely, if the portable terminal MP has only a small memory capacity, it is very shortly to reach an upper limit of the non-volatile memory 41 even with a small volume of answer date, thus the frequency of accessing the management server MSV by the communications module increases. Conversely, in case that the capacity of the non-volatile memory 41 is large, the frequency of accessing the management server decreases.

[0046] In the above, the sending of the answer data to the management server MSV occurs when the question program monitoring the non-volatile memory 41 detects that the volume thereof reaches a predetermined level, and the communications module is loaded, however, it is the only configuration. For example, a send request signal may be sent periodically from the management server MSV to the portable terminal MP, and the question program received it may load the communications module and send the answer date to the management server MSV.

[0047] Further, the communication module may be loaded by manual operation of the push button 51 by the surveyor, to thereby send the answer date to the management server MSV.

[0048] Having received the answer date from the non-volatile memory 41 in the portable terminal MP, the management server MSV registers the answer date into the database DB in the hard disk device HD via the bus BUS. FIG. 8 illustrates the format of the answer date registered as above.

[0049] The answer date that is stored as above is read out by the central processing unit CPU and process, when a statistical processing program stored in the hard disk device HD is loaded. As for the results of the statistic processing, the printing device PRT prints out. Here, the statistical processing is to output the date of geographical area, gender, and the candidate that was voted for in a chart format or a graph format. In addition to being printed by the printing device PRT, the statistical processing results may also be assembled as visible data such as HTML data and displayed on the user terminal UT and. the like via the network NW.

[0050] (Effect of the Embodiment)

[0051] In accordance with the present embodiment, even in a place where communication condition is poor, it is possible to carry out the survey as long as the survey program stored in the portable terminal can run. Furthermore, since the survey program can be easily generated at the question preparation server, it is possible to prepare the flexible question based on the survey purpose. In particular, the general-purpose survey programs that require a large capacity cannot be use for each survey in case the memory capacity of the memory unit is limited as a portable terminal. Therefore, if the server can be used to generate a minimum necessary question setting individually suit for the survey purpose, it can be expected to process the survey program efficiently and reduce of the communication time to distribute the survey program, using small memory resources on the portable terminal. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A survey method is that, a survey program prepared at a question preparation server is distributed to the portable terminal, and a management server collects survey program executed on the portable terminal, then the question preparation server receives an input of a question, sets an answer format and generates a survey program configured to send the group of answer to the management when a predetermined number of answers are inputted, after that, the portable terminal that has received the survey program displays a question on a display unit of the portable terminal based on the survey program, receive the answer to the question via an input unit of the portable terminal, stores the answer in a memory unit of the portable terminal and sends the group of answer stored in the memory unit to the management server via a communication unit of the portable terminal, and the management server that has received the group of answer analyzes it, performs the statistical processing and generates visible survey report information.
 2. A method of generating a portable terminal survey program by a question preparation server, comprising: receiving an input of a question via an input unit of the question preparation server; attaching a command to display the received question on a display unit of a portable terminal; configuring an answer format for the question, and attaching a command for an input unit of the portable terminal to receive an answer input conforming to the answer format; attaching a command to store an inputted answer into a memory unit of the portable terminal; and attaching a command to send the answer stored in the memory unit to a management server, via a communications unit of the portable terminal.
 3. A survey program executed on a portable terminal, comprising: displaying a question on a display unit of the portable terminal, and urging an answer input regarding the question; receiving the answer via an input unit of the portable terminal; storing the received answer in a memory unit of the portable terminal; and sending a group of plural answers stored in the memory unit to a management server via a communications unit of the portable terminal, after waiting for and receiving a sending instruction.
 4. A survey program executed on a portable terminal according to claim 3, wherein the sending instruction is a sending instruction produced by a button operation on the portable terminal by the surveyor.
 5. A survey program executed on a portable terminal according to claim 3, wherein the sending instruction is a reception of an information collection request signal from the management server.
 6. A survey program executed on a portable terminal according to claim 3, wherein the sending instruction is given by a sending instruction module that is started at a time when a predetermined number of answers are accumulated inside the memory unit. 